Auxiliary snow removal equipment



Oct. 18, 1966 E. wANDscHl-:ER ETAL y 3,279,104

n AUXILIARY SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT Filed July 14, 1964 4 sheets-sheet 1 Il l" Afa/5 MEHR/P5 Oct. 18, 1966 E. wANDscl-IEER ETAL 3,279Q104 AUXILIARY SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT Filed 4July 14, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 /P/f: MEHR/P5 [VERT M//lA/mc/fff/e INVENTOR.

BY n ,3E/4% r oct. 18, 196s E. WANDSCHEER ETA'. 3,279,104 l AUXILIARY SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 14, 1964 Amr VWK/P5 [yf/w' M/vSc//ff INVENTOR. BY

Oct. `18, 1966 E. wANDscHEl-:R ETAL 3,279,104

AUXILIARY SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 14, 1954 INVENTOR.

United States Patent O 3,279,104 AUXILIARY SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT Evert Wandscheer and Arie M. Verrips, Sioux Center, Iowa Filed July 14, 1964, Ser. No. 382,536 6 Claims. (Cl. 3741) This invention pertains to devices for removing the ridges of snow left by snow plows, similar to the device described in our co-pending joint application, Serial Number 284,458 led May 31, 1963. The present application describes an improved lift arrangement for a device of that type.

As described in our co-pending application aforementioned, our device is particularly useful in removing ridges of snow from driveways, street intersections and the like. For such purposes, the outer movable blade is carried on the curb side of the street. The lift device shown in that application Worked reasonably well, but because it did not raise the blade to a vertical position caused some inconvem'ence.

Failure to carry the removable blade vertically meant that the blade extended beyond the edge of the permanent scraper blade. Such extension beyond the boundary of the normal blade required constant attention of the operator to avoid having the raised blade collide with sign posts, utility poles or the like which were close to the roadway or to the curb on city streets.

By our present invention we provide a lift system adequate to raise the blade to vertical position such that the movable blade does not extend beyond the end of the permanent blade, thereby avoiding the difficulties aforementioned.

A more complete understanding of our invention in its embodiment may be had from a study of the following specification and the iigures in which:

FIG. l is a rear elevational view of our device in the raised position showing also its alternative lowered position.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational View of our device in its lowered position,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing the blade in its normal position,

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 yshowing the blade in its tilted position as if it had struck a low object.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the upper spring washer,

FIG. 6 is a medial sectional view of the upper spring washer,

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the lower spring washer,

FIG. 8 is a medial sectional view of the lower spring washer,

FIG. 9 is a perspective View of our device in operation showing the action of the device upon hitting a tall object,

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of our lift device removed from the fixed blade, and with the blade holding arm in its raised position with part of the housing broken away to show internal parts.

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 with the blade holding arm in its lowered position and with the wing blade removed to show the attachment parts.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the sliding link in our lift system,

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the bell crank link of the lift system, and

FIG. 14 is a fractional view similar to FIG. 11 of the operating levers of our device with one lever locked in place to provide an alternate type of action.

Briefly our invention comprises a novel lift system for an auxiliary snow removal blade which allows that blade to be raised to a position in which it does not extend beyond the extremity of the permanent blade to which it is attached. In addition, the movement of the blade is "ice performed in a particularly favorable sequence. Also, the blade is mounted such that an improved safety device is present.

More specically and referring to the drawings, our device is adapted for attachment to the blade 10 of a road maintainer machine 11 (in FIG. 9)'. The lift device is enclosed in a carrier or housing 13 which is pivotally connected to the main blade 10 by a pin 14. A yshear pin 15 (FIG. 2) is used to hold the device in place except in case of collision. In these respects rthe present device is similar to that in our aforementioned co-pending application,

The auxiliary blade or wing 16 is also mounted yon an arm 17 in a manner similar to that described in that application. Brackets 19 fixed to the wing are journalled on cylindrical sections 20 of the arm. The wing 16 thus is pivotally mounted on the arm 17. In order to control the pivoting, a spring loaded tilt-preventing mechanism is provided.

This mechanism includes a spring platform 22 fixed to the Wing 16 and to the brackets 19. Bolt adjusting devices 23 are threaded into the platform 22. These comprise bolts with rounded thread ends which engage sockets 24 in the spring holding washers 25. These Washers 25 in turn support compression springs 26 engaged between the washers 25 and the upper washers 27. The upper washers 27 are formed to provide a groove 28 by which they are held in place against a bar 30 which is fixed to the arm 17. Thus, the pressure of the compression springs 26 tends to urge lthe platform 22 downward toward the normal position of the blade as shown in FIG. 3. A fin 31 prevents the blade 16 from pivoting beyond that position. It will be noted however, as shown in FIG. 4, that upon impact of the lower edge of the blade 16 with some low object as `a small stump 33 or the like the blade can tilt to the position shown in FIG. 4 by compression of the springs 26 and ride over the object. This mechanism is also described in my aforementioned co-pending application.

It should be noted, in this regard, that the offsetting of the bar 30 from the pivot axis of the blade 16, provides a certain leverage for the pressure of the spring 26. As the blade tilts from the normal position shown in FIG. 3 to the tilted position shown in FIG. 4, the offset of the bar and therefore the length of the lever arm lessens because of the change in direction of the line of force of the spring. Thus, if the blade were to tilt much farther than the position shown in FIG. 4, the force would be in a direction to Vcause the blade to continue to tilt beyond, i.e. it would be over the center. This construction is useful because the greatest leverage is available when the lesser force of the springs is applied, and therefore the lesser force can still be adequate to hold the blade. Further, the force required to tilt the blade may be nearly uniform throughout its tilting movement or may even be reduced at its furthest tilted position. This allows a larger object to be passed over as easily as a small surface irregularity.

Another novel part of our presently described device lies in the lift mechanism best shown in lFIIGS. l0 through 13. The carrier arm 17 is mounted by means of a pivot axle 35, in the housing 13. Pivotal movement of the arm -17 in the housing 13 is thus possible within an arc xlimited only by an upper stop 36 and lower stop 37 formed in the housing. The lower stop is reinforced by stiening ns 38 to provide additional strength to take the impact of a falling blade. Normally the fall `of the blade will be co-ntrolled by hydraulic lmechanism hereinafter described, b-ut we prefer to strengthen our device to provide for all eventualities. The upper stop is formed so that .the arm will be in -at least a vertical position at its upper position so that the wing blade 16 does not extend beyond the mechanism `through a `linkage which provides for conf siderable force to move the blade. This mechanism includes a double yacting hydraulic cylinder 40 of customary type having a piston 41 slidable therein. The cylinder is connected to the hydraulic system of the maintainer through hoses 42.` The movement of the piston can thus be controlled from the maintainer by means well known in .the art. The piston is also pivotally mounted in the housing on a pin 43.

The piston rod 44 forms the motion producing. device of a linkage which moves the arm 17. This linkage includes a bell crank 45 having one Vleg pivotally connected to the arm 17 at 46, andthe other leg connected to a slotted link 47 at a pivot axle 48. The pivotal connection 49 between the piston rod 44 and the crank 45 is located at the bend between the legs.

The slotted link 47 is formed to provide an open slot 50 slidably embracing an axle '52 iixed in the housing 13. Thus this link is free both to pivot and -to slide relative to the axle. This permits free upward vertical movement of the arm 17 but restricts the downward movement for the same purposes as such movement was required lin our former device.

The operation of our device can best be explained by reference first to FIG. 11 which shows the device in its use position. -In this position the piston rod 44 is retracted and the bell crank is bent close around the end of the arm 17. The slotted link 47 is fully withdrawn into the housing 13.

To raise the arm, oil is forced into the cylinder 40 to extend the piston rod 44. As the rod first starts to extend, the pressure on .the connection 49 may tend to cause the bell crank to move away from the end of the arm 17. This motion is possible because the slotted link 47 can move outwardly of the housing to the limit of its slot 50. During this motion, `the arm will be raised very littleactually, only about the amount indicated by the dotted alternate position shown in FIG. 11 and indica-ted by the arc 54. As this point is reached, .the pressure on the connection 49 becomes more central between the axle 52 and the pivot connection 46 and therefore has more leverage to move the arm 17. However, motion will still be relatively slow during the travel from position A (FIG. 1) to position B or an arc of about 30 degrees. This is desirable, because it permits the blade to be raised slowlyto feather out the ridge of snow, and distribute it along the road side.

The arm 17 is 4then raised more quickly to position C (about 40 degrees more), and as it is raised requires less force to raise it to Ithat position.Y Then, at about position C, the slotted link 47 again slides over to its withdrawn position. This movement slows the last 20 degrees of travel to position D and thereby 'reduces the impact of the arm 17. against the upper stop 36. It will be noted that the arm can be raised even if Ithe slotted links did not move, although Vsuch movement might be desirable.

By this means we can use short links `and still achieve maxi-mum lifting force for the blade. The piston stroke is not appreciably lengthened, but a relatively high lifting force is available at all times. Furthermore, the device can be housed in a Irelatively small housing.

As above described, our device is most useful in removing snow from driveways or the like. In use on gravel or heavy materials of that type, it may be more desirable to have a more positive action of the blade. Therefore, we provide for blocking the free oating action when desired. This is accomplished by means shown in FIGS. 12 and 14. The blocking is accomplished rather easily by inserting a cap screw 56 through a hole in the sliding link 47 and threading it into a tapped hole therein in a position to enclose the axle 52 within the Aslot and at one end thereof. Thus the Sliding Qf the link 47 is effectively stopped.

4 When the sliding is blocked, the blade is fixed at, any position, including the lowest. `This is a real disadvantage in snow removal when the snow may hide many surface irregularities. However, in gravel movingthe irregularitiesk are either apparent or are small and thus,.the disadvantage is lessened. Also, heavy materials such as gravel may require that the blade be held inits lowest position and lnot ride up and over the gravel. Therefore, we provide a very iiexible use for our device.

In other respects the operation of our device` is similar to the operation of the device described in `our co-pending application noted hereinbefore. The same safety factors of free upward movement, tiltable blade and frangible pin are all preserved. ln one respect, the present device is a distinct improvement. Because the blade is raised higher, it is easily possible for the carrier member 13 to be located on the main blade 10 in a position such that the wing blade 16 in -its raised position does not extend beyond the outer limits of the ma-in blade 10 of the device to which this auxiliary is fixed. Thus, lateral clearance is reduced as .an important factor. Any object which will be avoided by the main blade, such as poles, posts, trees, signs-or the like will also be avoided by our wing blade in `its raised position.

Having thus described our invention in its embodiment we are aware that further and extensive variations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention as limited only by the following claims.

We claim:

1. For attachment to snow removal equipment or the like, said equipment including a transverse blade, a device for removing ridges of snow at driveways or intersections comprising cartier means adapted to be mounted near the end of said blade, auxiliary blade meanspivotally mounted on said carrier means beyond the endof said transverse blade for vertical movement, lift means including hydraulic power means connected to said carrier means, linkage means interconnecting said power means and said auxiliary blade means, said linkage means including a slotted link slidably secured to said carrier means whereby said auxiliary blade means is lifted slowly at the first of its upward travel, quickly during the middle course of its travel and slowly at the end of its travel.

2. For attachment to snow removal equipment or the i like, said equipment having a transverse blade, a device for removing ridges of snow at driveways or intersections comprising carrier means adapted to be mounted on said l blade near the end thereof, arm means pivotally mounted whereby said arm means is caused to raise said auxiliary blade.

3. The device of claim 2 in which said slottedV linkallows limitedV free upward motion of said arm means to provide free iioating action for said auxiliary blade..

4. In a device for removing snow or the like including a blade tiltably mounted on an arm, safety means forl allowing said blade to be tiltably moved upon impact with an obstruction and to return said `blade to its original position comprising bar means fixed to said arm, upper washer means having a groove tiltably engaging said bar` means, platform means lixed to said blade, adjusting screw means threadably` engaged with and extending through said platform means, lower washer means formed with a socket engaging said screw means, and compression spring means held between said washers bythe formation of said washers whereby said washers are urged apart, and positioning means on said .bar engageable with said blade to position said blade in an original position.

5. The device of claim 4 in which said upper Washer and said lower Washer are formed with a boss adapted to extend into said spring whereby said spring may be held in place.

6. The device of claim 4 in which said positioning means comprises a fin fixed to said bar and extending thereom, the edge of said iin being positioned to be engaged by said blade at the position of said blade in which it is to be used.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 254,418 2/1882 Wilde 172-501 1,041,975 10/1912 Dennis 172-265 X 6 6/1915 Heinen 37-50 9/ 1936 Henry 37-42 4/ 1952 Burggren 37-155 9/ 1958 Rogers et al. 172-705 11/ 1962 Violette 37-143 FOREIGN PATENTS 2/ 1954 France. 4/ 1955 Great Britain.

15 F. B. HENRY, R. L. HOLLISTER,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. FOR ATTACHMENT TO SNOW REMOVAL EQUIPMENT OR THE LIKE, SAID EQUIPMENT INCLUDING A TRANSVERSE BLADE, A DEVICE FOR REMOVING RIDGES OF SNOW AT DRIVEWAYS OR INTERSECTIONS COMPRISING CARRIER MEANS ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED NEAR THE END OF SAID BLADE, AUXILIARY BLADE MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIER MEANS BEYOND THE END OF SAID TRANSVERSE BLADE FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT, LIFT MEANS INCLUDING HYDRAULIC POWER MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CARRIER MEANS, LINKAGE MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID POWER MEANS AND SAID AUXILIARY BLADE MEANS, SAID LINKAGE MEANS INCLUDING A SLOTTED LINK SLIDABLY SECURED TO SAID CARRIER MEANS WHEREBY SAID AUXILIARY BLADE MEANS IS LIFTED SLOWLY AT THE FIRST OF ITS UPWARD TRAVEL, QUICKLY DURING THE MIDDLE COURSE OF ITS TRAVEL AND SLOWLY AT THE END OF ITS TRAVEL. 